The man who replaced Pat Smear as the Foo Fighters' guitarist has now left the band himself.

Franz Stahl, who joined the band in September of 1997, has split from the band in a move that the Foos camp calls "amicable but necessary." The band's remaining members (frontman Dave Grohl, drummer Taylor Hawkins, and bassist Nate Mendel) are currently working on the Foos' next album, which is due this fall.

Stahl replaced previous Foos guitarist Pat Smear during the band's live performance before "The 1997 MTV Video Music Awards" (see "Pat Smear Leaves The Foo Fighters, On Live MTV"). After Smear shocked viewers with the announcement of his departure from the band, Stahl's official Foo introduction came with a performance of "Everlong" atop the marquee at Radio City Music Hall.

As we first reported on Monday, sources close to Woodstock '99 say that the band's lack of a guitarist prompted the Foos to drop off the lineup for this year's